tales of a lost treasure found

Every so often those pesky pirates of the universe play a terrible trick on us taking our treasured gems and hiding them for a painful period of time. We spend countless hours, days, and months looking for them praying hopelessly to the gods of fortune to guide us to their secret location only to chalk it up and determine the goods lost. Then without fail, like a message in a bottle that has been washed ashore they pop up and suddenly they appear before our eyes as if they had been there for centuries.

As I was rummaging through an old storage bin earlier this evening, I fell upon an long lost removable hard drive. On it were photos I had taken over the last decade--pictures from past vacations, old photo essays, portraits and silly family photos. This discovery was monumental on so many levels. Not only did I restore my photographic library but more importantly I had regained memories of a past that were long forgotten.

Photography is a document of one's endeavors. And in the years that follow it helps us to remember those moments when life has treated us kindly--moments of awe, moments of laughter, and moments of pride all frozen in time and when looked upon they have the power to transport us back to that very instant in a heartbeat. When those images are lost we jeopardize our very existence because without memories who are we?

Today I share with you a portion of an unfinished photo essay that I worked on from 2008 until 2009. All of the photographs were taken in the Bronx, which surprisingly has the most natural landscapes of all five boroughs. My focus was on finding areas where man and technology had quietly encroached upon nature. Massive industrial structures loom across the horizon all while the natural world remains unfazed playing gently in it's shadows. It's a testament to the soul of the Bronx and all of it's 'rough beauty'.

Sadly, this project was quickly abandoned after I deemed it's contents lost to that black hole we call cyber space. So, with this find I send out vibrations of gratitude to the gods of fortune because I am so very thankful for the chance to take hold of an opportunity once lost.
Enjoy,
Miss Sally

Part i: The Lion vs The Bull: "Melady 1 :: Sally 0"

Before I get to a clients house for a photo shoot, I always imagine it to be a breakthrough session. I meet the child, we instantly connect and our energies melt together creating magic. As I enter their sacred world we play, we dance, we laugh and ultimately we become best friends. Usually I'm on target but on rare occasions it doesn't always go as smoothly as it does in my fantasy.

I often find myself telling parents that I can crack the best of 'em but in the case of the sassy Miss Melady I had met my match. This tough Lil' Taurus wouldn't have any part of me or my camera--just like her mamma had warned. As she buried her face in the couch I immediately realized this was not a job for the weak or scrawny.

I rolled up my sleeves, let down my hair and got down to her level--literally. I tried introducing her to my camera telling her that SHE could take pictures of her toys--no luck. I racked my brain for jokes appropriate for a 3 yr old and actually found a few--not even a giggle. I told her I could see Dora the Explorer in her ears and Sponge Bob up her nose--she looked at me like I was crazy. Then in a panic I picked up her favorite dolly, threw it on the floor and said, "Take that Cupcake, if Melady doesn't play with me you'll pay the price"--she lifted her head, glanced at her beaten doll and exploded with laughter. That's it, I was 'in'--she finally went for the bait, now I all I had to do was reel her in.

We painted, we colored, we even did our own makeup. Slowly she allowed me into her world and for a split second I thought I had broken down her wall--her eyes gleamed, her smile brightened and her heart steadily warmed. I took pride in my accomplishment, as any Leo would and began to shoot away! Then in the blink of an eye I lost her. In a moment of carefree play she stumbled over my camera, lost her balance and became uneasy. The trust I had worked so hard to gain vanished into thin air and there I stood; a stranger once again!! No matter what I tried she shot me down and within 10 minutes my gorgeous little starlet had a melt down.

This minor set back won't get me down. We're set to re-shoot next month so be prepared Miss Melady--you may have won the battle but you won't win the war. The greatest ammunition a warrior can have is KNOWING THEIR ENEMY, so BEWARE......bwhaaaa bwhaaaaa bwhaaaaa!!